Moistener for dental tools.



- G. G. REED.

MOISTENER FOR DENTAL TOOLS.

APPLICATION FILED DBO. 21, 1910.

1,005,468. Patented 0011.10, 1911.

, WITNESSES: INVENTOR A TTORNEYS.

COLUMBIA FLANDGRAPH C0.,wAsmNuToN, n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE G. REED, OF HOLYOKE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF T0 NATHAN l. AVERY, OF HOLYOKE, MASSACHUSETTS.

MOISTENER- FOR DENTAL TOOLS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 10, 1911.

Application filed December 21, 1910. Serial No. 598,541.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE G. REED, a

citizen of the United States of America,

' hereinafter set forth.

, While using the above-mentioned rotary members or tools it is necessary that they be kept moist, like most other grinding and cutting tools which revolve at a high rate of speed, and heretofore it has been the custom to dip them frequently into water or some other fluid for that purpose. These repeated dippings consume considerable time and involve some effort on the part of the operator, and very often the tools are inadequately moistened even when quite frequently immersed in the fluid. The dipping of the tools into the fluid also washes away the accumulation of particles thereon from the teeth and from the tools themselves.

The object of my invention is to produce convenient and effectual means for moistening the tools automatically and at the same time cleaning them by removing the accumulating particles therefrom, and thus economizing time and energy of the operator which would otherwise be wasted, such means being readily attached to or incorporated with dental-engine tool guards in common use.

Other objects will appear in the course of the following description.

I attain these objects by the means illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a practical form of my invention, showing the same applied to a dental-engine hand-piece; Fig. 2, a front end elevation of the parts illustrated in the preceding view; Fig. 3, a front end elevation of the guard and moistener, de-

tached; Fig. 4, a top plan of the guard and its sleeve, showing the holder for the absorbent material without the latter; Fig. 5, a front end elevation of a slightly modified form of guard and moistener, and, Fig. 6, a similar view excepting that the absorbent material is omitted.

Similar figures refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

Before proceeding to describe my invention in detail and as represented in the drawings, attention is called to the fact that the same consists of means arranged and adapted to retain absorbent material, such as sponge, cotton, wood-pulp, cork, leather, fabric of any suitable kind, or a brush, in contact with the tool which it is desired to moisten, such means being attached to or forming a part of the guard for such tool.

Certain changes in the shape, size and construction of my invention may be made without departing from the nature of the same or exceeding the scope of my claims.

Referring now to the drawings, it will be observed that I have illustrated in the first view a dental-engine handpiece 1, a guard 2 having a sleeve 3 by means of which said guard is attached to said handpiece, and a tool 4 secured by a screw 5 to the driving spindle, which latter is not shown. With the exception of the guard 2, these parts and members are all of common and well-known construction and operate in the usual manner. The guard 2 has a rim 6 which is cut away at 7 to accommodate the tool 4, as is usual. In the examples shown, the guard and sleeve are integral, but they need not necessarily be so.

The guard 2 illustrated in the first four views has a second opening 8 in its rim 6, and one or more wires or rods 9 (two in the present case) are arranged over such opening with their ends fastened to such rim. These rods together with the supporting parts therefor of the guard constitute a holder for a piece of sponge or other absorbent material 10. The absorbent material 10 is forced in between the rods 9 until it is in a position to bear on the periphery of the tool 4, and against one or both sides of said tool adjacent to such periphery, if desired.

In practice, the absorbent material 10 is saturated and moisture therefrom is c0mmunicated or supplied constantly to the revolving tool 4, and the particles produced by such tool are wiped off on said material, Without any attention on the part of the operator. One saturation of the absorbent material is suiiicient to last some little time. hen the absorbent material becomes soiled it can be easily removed from and a fresh piece inserted in the holder, and, of course, the change is made before employing the moistener in connection With a new case.

The moistener employed in the last two views comprises a single rod or hook 11 Within the rim 6 of the guard 2, the latter including said rim being elongated a little to make room for such hook and for the absorbent material 10 Which the former is designed to secure in place as the holder of this moistener. Here the absorbent material 10 is forced into place over the hook 11, or the latter is sprung outwardly far enough to enable such material to be impaled thereon. The second moistener functions in precisely the same way as does the first.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination,'in a moistener for dental engines, With a dental-engine handpiece, and a rotary tool adapted to be supported thereby, of a guard for such tool,

such guard consisting in part of a rim attachable to said handpiece, and absorbentmaterial securing means forming a part of that portion of said guard that covers the Working portion of said tool.

2. The combination, in a moistener for dental-engines, with a dental-engine handpiece, and a rotary tool adapted to be sup ported thereby, of a guard consisting in part of a recessed rim attachable to said handpiece, a securing member bridging the recess in said rim, and a piece of absorbent material inserted in the recessed portion of said rim and projecting inward against said tool, such absorbent material being held in place by said securing member.

3. The combination, in a moistener for dental engil'ies, with a dental-engine hand GEORGE G. REED.

"Witnesses F. A. CUTTER, A. C. FAIRBANKS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

